We heard that you left India in a rush because you were ‘really, really tired‘. What happened? Did you happen to travel in a Mumbai local train?

We are sure it couldnt be related to the fact that your child stars wanted some more from you. All Azharuddin wanted was a car. And Rubina, an additional $48,000 for an apartment in Bandra. What’s so bad about it?

Its simple. You made a movie about India’s poverty and the movie ended up making some $300mn. These kids should have gotten money but you took them to Hollywood, Disneyland etc, and then told them to go to school. WTF! These kids are stars now. Stars dont go to school.

Why cant Rubina live in a house in Bandra West? The kid calls you Danny Uncle and you really want her to live in Vikhroli? Vikhroli?

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The world’s most powerful people.

In compiling our first ranking of the World’s Most Powerful People, we wrestled with these questions–and many more–before deciding to define power by four dimensions. First, do they have influence over lots of other people? Do they control relatively large financial resources compared with their peers? Are they powerful in multiple spheres?

The top choice seems obvious enough. The man who won a Nobel peace prize without really achieving anything concrete; the man who captured the world’s imagination; the president of the United States (and the master of the universe). Barrack Obama. Following him are Chinese premier Hu Jintao and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Four Indians feature on this distinguished list of 67 people, one per 100 million people on the planet. Which means that only 400 million Indians are represented. (The others are poor enough to not matter.)

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh comes in at 36. Dalai Lama is 39.

Soft-spoken Sikh economist won landslide re-election victory despite sharp slowdown, poverty and non-Hindu faith. Credited with transforming India’s quasi-socialist economy into world’s second-fastest-growing. As finance minister (1991-1996), abolished cumbersome “Licence Raj” requirements and opened up India to foreign investors and outsourcing. From the “fences make good neighbors” file: “We all know the epicenter of terrorism in the world today is Pakistan.” Has nuclear arsenal at disposal. [link]

Mukesh Ambani is 44. Lakshmi Mittal is 55. Ratan Tata is 59. French president Sarkozy comes in at a  relatively lowly 56. Funnily enough, there is no Sonia Gandhi in the list. Dawood Ibrahim is. As is Osama bin Laden.

It’s very hard to quantify the power that people hold in contemporary world, but this list beats me. How is the president of Brazil more important than the president of France? How is the CEO of Walmart more powerful than these two heads of state? How is the CEO of TelMex more important than the CEO of Walmart? How are the Google founders more powerful than the Pope!?

Is this list a fascinating reflection of changing world dynamics where industrialists, politicians, and drug traffickers hold equal power over the masses? Or is it just a bad attempt at picking the world’s most important people?

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They pointed a finger at you, and you voluntarily went back to jail, leaving your aging mom to fend for herself. What superlative sacrifice!

This should serve a lesson to the media hounding you, and all those people who said that you should be given strict punishment for the murder you committed some ten years back.

What punishment? I say you should be released from jail immediately. You should be a chapter in law books that teaches people the values of integrity, honesty and self esteem.

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The theme for the competition is My India and through their designs these kids are supposed to tell us what India means to them. Over 4000 entries were submitted out of which the top 45 have been selected. Now it is open to the public to decide who is the best doodler.

Online voting is open from 21st of October 2009 to 31st of October 2009. Go cast your vote  for your favorite design.

There’s three categories: 1-3rd, 4-6th, and 7-10th standard. Teeny kids if you ask me, but the designs blew my mind. I am no artist  but damn, these kids are good.

Sample some of my favorites. This one is the creation of Vansh from 1st standard. (Yes, that’s some 5 years old!)

Jai Ho

My doodle depicts few of the endless contributions made by India to the world. India has never invaded any country in the past 10,00 years of history and taught the world non-violence and peace by Gandhiji. Aryabhatta invented zero. Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine. 2600 years ago Sushrutha, father of surgery conducted complicated operations. Pythagorean Theorem was first explained by Budhayana. Chess, snakes and ladders, art of navigation, etc originated in India. I wish that someday with my contributions, I’ll be able to occupy a space in somebody’s doodle as a person who contributed for this lovely country.

Another one.  Shounak. 5th Standard.

Bullock cart to Chandrayan I

India for me, is a country which denoted an endless journey. Modernity and tradition walks hand in hand. India always had an identity of her own. Her people- each different from one another, but each of them are unique as ‘Indians’. My doodle depicts glimpses of ancient culture and at the same time India surging forward in the development of science and technology by launching the Chandrayan I. Chandrayan I symbolizes India’s quest for knowledge and her undying spirit to continue her journey towards a brighter future.

Finally, a very professional looking creation from M. Indu in the senior category (7-10th)

Journey to rural India

We often forget to enjoy small pleasures in life. My doodle invited you to visit a village and experience it. G: joy is expressed through folk dances. O: emotions are expressed through folk music. O: commuting in an eco friendly environment. G: beauty of nature and agriculture that can be seen in a village. L: represents one of the folk dances performed in a rural area. E: the joy of nature can only be achieved by viewing it whole-heartedly.

Go to the competition site and check out the other entries. I just cant stop being amazed at the amount of creativity in the 45 shortlisted designs.

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Indian Tennis has a new star. Somdev Devvarman has qualified for the US Open singles, coming through the tough qualifiers.  He hasn’t just qualified but won his first round match as well. Somdev happens to be the first Indian male player to qualify for the singles main draw of a Grand Slam event in seven years, which in itself portrays a sad state of affairs. But we will look at the brighter side for now.

In women’s singles, Sania Mirza has moved on to the second round herself. We just hope she is able to get over her injuries and regain her pristine form of 2007 where she even defeated the current world number one, Dinara Safina.

In Football, India today triumphed in the Nehru cup winning the final against Syria. Small consolation for a national team that ranks a lowly 156 in the world.

Beijing Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh has been ranked world no 2 in the 75 kg category in the boxing rankings announced by the International Boxing Association (AIBA). There are other Indian boxers in the top ranks including Manoj Kumar (2nd in 64kg), Thokchom Nanao Singh (5th in 48kg), Akhil Kumar (9th in 57kg)

Women’s boxing will be included in the London Olympics (2012), which is excellent news for India. In the last world championship held in China, India won 4 medals. Mary Kom is India’s great hope and winner of a record 4 gold medals ever since the world championship started in 2001.

In Badminton, Saina Nehwal has been doing India proud. The world number 6 won the Indonesian open earlier this year and reached the quarter finals at the world championship. Chetan Anand is also doing well in the men’s circuit, and is currently ranked 14 in the world.

Force India managed a podium finish at the Belgian GP, and the media is going berserk. The only thing Indian about the team is its owner, so not sure it should be hailed as the coming-of-age of Indian F1 racing yet.

Great work, all you outstanding sportspeople. Kudos to you for making it big despite a system that doesn’t really work very well at bringing out the best in you, unless you play cricket.

(Image courtesy: oneindia.in)

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Here’s a few pictures of proud voters happy to have contributed their bit towards upholding the esteemed traditions of the founding fathers of the country.

First up, Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chawan with Mrs Chief Minister. Hail the proud deliverance of democracy.

(Image Courtesy – Amit Verma)

The Bachchan family was there. All of them - Mom, Dad, Son and Daughter in law. Look at the excitement, the joy, the proud expression of freedom.

Even handsome people voted.

(Image courtesy: TOI)

Nice work India!

Now we just need to figure out how to interpret the middle finger gesture. Was it the Indian populace saying ‘Up Yours!’ to the politicians, or the other way around? Maybe it  just was famous people’s way of making fun of everybody else? Who exactly is the joke on?

Like a wise man once said, It happens only in India.

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This week on the show it was down to the last seven contestants, out of which two were eliminated because last week the judges used their discretionary save to bring back Matt Giraud after America had voted him out.

The axe fell on Anoop and Lil Rounds, which sucks because he sure had it in him to go a few more rounds.

Here’s a video of his last performance.

Do we think 22 year old Anoop was the best singer out of this lot? No
Do we think Anoop deserved to go at this stage? No

He may not have been the most flamboyant but he sure has a great voice, and could have gone on a little longer. Anyway, conspiracy theorists are suggesting that Matt wasn’t sent home because that would have been embarrassing for the judges after having saved him in the last episode.

It was a bumpy ride for Anoop on American Idol, starting with a virtual backdoor entry after the judges made it a thirteen contestant final instead of the regular twelve, seeing the support he had.

He got some praise along the way, but he has also got some horrid critiques from the judges, especially bad boy Simon Cowell. For the last few episodes he had been figuring in the bottom three, including last week when his performance was praised by the judges.

Looks like his support base just wasn’t big enough to carry him through. Maybe it was that bright pink sweater he wore this week.

Anoop has already declared that he isnt returning to grad school, and is going to concentrate on his music career.

Well, Anoop, you did great and you sure made lots of fans. We know that we are going to hear a lot more of you.

Maybe not American Idol. But you sure are our Indian-American Idol!

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A Mangalore court has ordered the police to file an FIR against union minister for women and child welfare Renuka Chowdhury for her reported remark that “Mangalore has been Talibanised” following the much talked about pub attack by the Sri Ram Sena monkeys.

As per the order the FIR is to be filed under the following sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC):

• 153 A – Promoting enmity between different groups
• 153B – Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration
• 505 – Statements conducive to public mischief

Readers may recall how we had lamented the rampant use of this term in association with this incident a few posts back.

All hope is not lost in our country yet. Long live judicial activism.

Now maybe some action against some of the more adventurous journalists who have nothing better to do than to sensationalize the smallest piece of news and pronounce judgement even before the law has taken its course?

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What is going on with India, and Indians?

I am referring to the attack by Hindu Taliban militants on some hapless women at this pub in Mangalore. Shameful, despicable act by a bunch of losers who deserve a tight slap on their face. There is no way such acts are to be tolerated and condoned in a supposedly tolerant society such as ours.

What was equally surprising was the over-the-top headlines all over the place.

Taliban style in BJP’s Karnataka: moral cops assault girls in pub [link]

Pub attack ugly expression of Hindutva Talibanisation: CPI(M) [link]

India’s Taliban may hurt BJP [link]

One Indian minister described the incident Saturday in the southwest city of Mangalore as a bid by Hindu fundamentalists to “Talibanize” India; others suspect a political ploy. [link]

What bothers me is the word Taliban. The Taliban did some pretty gruesome stuff. They killed people in cold blood. They tried to destroy an entire nation. I pray to god that the day never comes when AK47 toting men start roaming the streets of India killing men and women for petty reasons such as an untrimmed beard.

We were quick to come up with the term ‘Hindu terrorism‘ while our external affairs minister and one of the most senior politicians in Congress, Pranab Mukherjee, has been busy proclaiming that the term ‘Islamic terrorism’ is incorrect. Is hypocrisy all that’s left of our great nation?

Is it fashionable to lambast any wrong related to Hinduism? (On this note, read this interesting analysis)

Is this a race to be more secular than the other news channel, or the other political party, with Hinduism becoming the punching bag of choice? Am i supposed to start feeling ashamed of my religion?

This for a religion in whose name no wars were fought, and no innocent lives were lost. Ever.

I have no issues with any religion. I personally don’t believe in any religious drama. I believe that the only purpose religion has served historically is to divide mankind.  I am not  supporting the acts of these people. I just wish to see crime being treated like crime, and not through the tinted pseudo-secular glasses that are so much in vogue these days.

The politicians are just using this incident to bring down the BJP in an election year, even when there is no evidence of a link. The media is busy spreading their usual sensationalism by using heavy terms to describe these attacks, and has been quick to label this incident as a wider phenomenon.

What happened to objectivity? Is that an impossible word in contemporary India?

These morons are no Taliban. For Ram’s sake, please let’s call a spade a spade. Not a cluster bomb.

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Their greatest act of kindness was leaving us with a democratic form of government.

A form of government where votes are supreme. By hook or by crook. By manipulation or coercion. Whatever the means, the ends of power justify them. So much so that anybody can say anything, or do anything, and as long as that person has influence over a couple dozen voters, no harm can befall him. As a result, we have created demi-gods out of petty thugs who do not deserve to see the light of sun, for they should be locked away in dungeons, lest they eat into the fabric of the already sensitive society.

The game is to get a foot in, inspire the masses, become a public figure and eventually make a few crores of scandal money towards a retirement fund. Often this involves dividing the society by religion, language, region, city, height, weight, gender, shape of mustache and what have you. To their credit, its a very imaginative occupation.

Today we discuss one such great mind who has been busy ridding the world of all evil, and Mumbai of north Indians.

Raj Thackeray has been proudly running an anti-north India campaign in Maharashtra. The premise is that Uttar Pradesh  is a den of terrorism and Azamgarh is where all criminals come from, so all people from UP (and Bihar) are criminals, and are not Manhoos Manoos enough to reside in Maharashtra. That’s Mr Robin Hood for you. How very graceful, logical, and full of selfless love for his state.

If these people have their way, we would not be citizens of India, but just representatives of our state, region, religion, or caste, on a mission to establish supremacy over everyone else, through mostly violent means.

Is this the India that Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Bhagat Singh, and Subhash Chandra Bose gave their lives for? These great men of varied methodologies  dreamt of a united, free India. Did they waste their lives so that criminals in the garb of politicians get to vomit all over the constitution?

Ending a long break, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray has resumed his virulent campaign against North Indians describing Uttar Pradesh as a ‘den of terrorism’ and accusing the state’s Chief Minister Mayawati and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad of doing caste politics.[link]

Caste politics? Regional politics? Is there any difference?

Sure we live in a democracy and have the freedom to do anything we like. But who gave these people the right to take the law in their hands, and beat up Biharis at railway stations? What happened to Gandhi’s silly little concept of Ahimsa?

A large number of Biharis, who returned from Mumbai recently for Chhat puja, complained that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists assaulted them at the Kalyan railway station. And even the Government Railway Police drove them away when they tried to lodge complaints.

Arjun Rai, one of the victims, said, “When our train reached Kalyan station, several slogan-shouting MNS activists entered our compartment, carrying hockey sticks, iron rods and other arms. They started asking the identity of the passengers. When they found that we were Biharis retuning home, they started beating us.”[link]

If this is the example that Maharashtra is going to present to the rest of India, then we are headed for the dark ages. For no nation can prosper as a divided house.

Today the world is opening up, and we are getting our minds and thoughts clobbered by people such as Raj Thackeray. Mr Thackeray and his Nazi brigade only has one nation, and it is their great Maratha nation. What they don’t realize is that in isolation, Maharashtra will dry up. There will be no trade and commerce. There will be no Kashmiri apples or Punjabi wheat. There wont be any coal from Bihar to run their power plants. The tourism industry will suffer.

Very soon Tamilians will start beating up Bengalis. Bengalis will start beating up Punjabis. Gujaratis will start beating up everybody else. Nothing good is going to come out of the misguided sense of nationalism of MNS and their crazed out junkies.

Here’s the latest gem:

Local MNS activist Rajendra Deshmukh has warned the owner of Karachi Sweets to remove his signboards within 10 days or face the wrath of MNS.

It will hurt Maharashtrian and Indian sentiments if the owner refuses to do so. Why stick to the old Pakistani name,’ Shinde added.
Instead of assuring protection, the local police has asked the shop owner to change the name of the shop to ‘Mumbai Sweet House’. [link]

At least they got something right. They figured out the way to teach Pakistan a lesson for the Mumbai attacks.

We all feel proud of the apparent growth that India is undergoing. The huge GDP growth rates. The IT exports. The overseas acquisitions. For this to continue, we need to have our house in order. We need to stay India, not UP, Bihar, or Maharashtra.

Men like Raj Thackeray will keep doing their thing. They may try to lead us off the path we chose and wish to pursue. It is our job to overcome the jingoistic tendencies and respect each other. Killing others for their language, religion, or caste may be an easy way to vent our frustrations, but will not help.

India’s greatness strength never was homogeneity. It is the masala mix of our society that makes us so different from the rest of the world. Once that goes away, it will no be an India anymore.

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